Rose: The Wine of Provence!

As the sun finally comes out and warms my back as I write this on the greenhouse deck, I thought it would be fun to celebrate a warm weekend with the 2013 “Le Cengle” Cotes de Provence Rosé as our wine of the week.

This Provence rosé includes equal parts of Syrah, Grenache Noir, and Mourvedre. The vines are, on average, 30 years of age and the grapes are handpicked in order to guarantee the quality of the fruit and the yields are not high. Grapes are harvested at night and are gently pressed immediately on arriving at the winery to abstract the delicate color from the skins resulting in a pale salmon color. This Rosé exudes the warmth and aromas of the Provence region with spontaneous, crisp, fresh, balanced citrus flavors with a hint of berries and brioche. The Syrah and Grenache grapes endow the wine with an elegant, aromatic balance.

Run by Fabrice Arcari and his wife, Aurélie, Chateau La Galiniere is located just outside Aix-en-Provence, near the town of Châteaunef-Le-Rouge. It is the site of a magnificent 18th Century château dominating the plains of Cengle and very near Mount Sainte Victoire, made famous by French artist Paul Cézanne.

The property, which is currently being converted to organic farming techniques, is located on bauxite-rich clay and sand red soil. The name of the town and the surrounding area, Châteauneuf-Le-Rouge, refers to the red soil of the land. The property grows syrah, grenache, cinsault, cabernet, rolle and viognier.

Rosé consumption in the U.S. is second only to France and growing fast. In 2012 total US imports of premium rosé (>$12/bottle) by volume increased by 28 percent, continuing an eight-year trend of double-digit growth in imports of rosé. Furthermore, US imports of rosé from Provence rose by an amazing 41 percent on volume and 43 percent on value in 2012. And this comes after a 62 percent increase in Provence rosé imports the year before. Rosé consumption is increasing rapidly in France, too. Today about 28 percent of all wine consumed in France is rosé compared to just 11 percent a couple of decades ago. And, if you drinking a good Rosé, chances are it comes from Provence – Rosé represents 88 percent of total wine production in Provence, and Provence makes 40 percent of all rosé produced in France. Enjoy this nice weekend with a refreshing glass of Rosé!